Assessing the efficacy of a brief universal family skills programme on child behaviour and family functioning in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan: protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial of the Strong Families programme.

Purpose: The global burden of mental health difficulties among children underscores the importance of early prevention. This study aims to assess the efficacy, feasibility and acceptability of the Strong Families programme in enhancing child behaviour and family functioning in low-resource settings in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.

Methods And Analysis: This is a two-arm, multisite feasibility randomised controlled trial with an embedded process evaluation in three districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, namely Gilgit, Hunza and Skardu.

Culturally adapted motivational interviewing with cognitive behavior therapy and mindfulness-based relapse prevention for substance use disorder in Pakistan (CAMAIB): protocol for a feasibility factorial randomised controlled trial.

Background: The use of psychoactive substances significantly impacts the health, social and economic aspects of families, communities and nations. There is a need to develop and test psychological interventions aimed for individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs), such as in Pakistan. The aim of this exploratory trial is to test the feasibility and acceptability of two culturally adapted psychological interventions in a factorial randomised controlled trial (RCT).

Cognitive behavior therapy for diabetes distress, depression, health anxiety, quality of life and treatment adherence among patients with type-II diabetes mellitus: a randomized control trial.

Objective: Diabetes distress typically causes depressive symptoms; common comorbidity of diabetes unpleasantly affects patients' medical and psychological functions. Psychotherapeutic interventions are effective treatments to treat depressive symptoms and to improve the quality of life in many chronic diseases including diabetes. The present study investigated the efficacy of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to treat depressive symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using experimental and waitlist control conditions.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Distress Tolerance in Pakistani Men and Women.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that spread across the world, bringing with it serious mental health problems for men and women. Women in Pakistan are infected with COVID-19 at a much lower rate than men, yet report worse mental health. To explain this paradox, we surveyed 190 participants (46% male) shortly following the country lockdown, focusing on perceptions of the COVID-19 impact and positive adjustment.

Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Urdu Version of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) in Male Patients With Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) in Pakistan.

Background: Adults with substance use disorders (SUDs) often have co-occurring mental health problems. Emotion regulation may play a vital role in mental health problems. The Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) is a widely used measure for assessing cognitive emotion regulation.

Psychometric properties of Urdu version of adolescent peer relation instrument in Pakistan.

Objective: To translate the Adolescent Peer Relation Instrument into Urdu language, to make cultural adaptations, and to determine its psychometric properties.

Methods: The two-phase study was done in Karachi; the translation was done from May 2016 to December 2016 and data collection was done from January 2017 to June 2017. The Adolescent Peer Relation Instrument was first translated into Urdu through a clearly outlined process before it was tested in 2017 on a sample of adolescents aged 12-16 years studying in the local private schools.

Psychometric properties of the Urdu translation of children's perception of Parents scale.

Objective: To translate and adapt the children's Perception of Parents Scale in Urdu language, and to determine its psychometric properties.

Methods: The study was conducted in schools from different areas of Karachi (such as Happy Palace Grammar School, Beacon Askari School, The Educators, and Clifton Grammar School) from October, 2017 to March, 2018. The first phase of the study was conducted from January, 2017 to September, 2017.

Urdu translation and adaptation of the HIV stigma scale in Pakistani injectable drug users with HIV.

Objective: To translate and adapt the human immunodeficiency virus stigma scale into Urdu language, and to determine its psychometric properties.

Methods: The study was conducted at the Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Treatment Centre at the Civil Hospital, Karachi, from February to April 2017. The scale was translated and administered on a sample of patients enrolled from the Centre who were aged 25-45 years and had been injecting drugs.

Depression and perceived attachment of adolescents with fathers having substance-abuse disorder.

Objective: To understand the predictive role of perceived mother, father and peer attachment in depressive symptoms of adolescents living with fathers diagnosed with substance use disorder.

Methods: The quantitative study was conducted at various drug rehabilitation centres in Karachi from January 2016 to September 2017, and comprised adolescents living with fathers diagnosed with substance use disorder. Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Revised, Urdu version, and Centre for Epidemiological Studies- Depression Scale for Children, Urdu Version, were used to gather data which was analysed using SPPS 20.

Different risk factors are associated with alcohol use versus problematic use in male Pakistani adolescents.

Substance abuse is a significant problem in Pakistan (Hussain, 2017), yet, there are few studies of risk factors in this population, particularly in remote areas. Male adolescents (N = 243; M = 16.9 years, SD = 1.